e-commerce

The shuttering of brick-and-mortar stores and the continued explosive growth of e-commerce have led to an ongoing series of news articles suggesting that hard times are ahead for the retail industry. One of the latest appeared in Bloomberg earlier this month under the headline “America’s ‘Retail Apocalpse’ is Really Just Beginning.” The article argues that

The e-commerce blitzkrieg that has transformed the retail landscape in so many merchandise categories has yet to upend the grocery business, but signs are emerging that Web-based merchants involved in the sector are steadily gaining traction. A new report from sales and marketing firm Acosta indicates that, while most people still prefer to shop for

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart, which last year began testing a high-tech vending machines that make it easier for customers to pick up Walmart.com orders at their local store, is rolling the technology out. The retailer plans to have the giant self-service kiosks, which Walmart calls Pickup Towers, in more than 100 of its U.S. stores

The established order in mass market retailing has been shaken in recent years by the emergence and increasing prominence of Amazon and other e-commerce alternatives to brick-and-mortar stores. Online merchants continue to make inroads in one category after another — everything from books, (the foundation of Amazon’s business) and home entertainment to apparel and groceries.

BOISE, Idaho — Albertsons Cos. has appointed Narayan Iyengar as senior vice president, digital marketing and e-commerce. In this role, he will be responsible for leading all aspects of digital marketing, including loyalty programs, shopper marketing and the overall digital presence, as well as the e-commerce business, which includes home delivery. “As a company, we’ve

Amazon is once again jolting the status quo in mass market retailing. The e-commerce pioneer, which has done more than any other company to transform consumer expectations and the way people shop, early this month took the wraps off an experimental brick-and-mortar store format with the potential to revolutionize the grocery shopping ­experience. Amazon Go,

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart announced that it will slow the pace of store expansion as it accelerates its push into e-commerce. Walmart’s plans call for capital spending of about $11 billion in fiscal 2018, which starts in February. That’s about the same as this year’s capital spending but is less than the $11.5 billion in

NEW YORK — The nation’s retailers and suppliers can take heart from early indications that the 2016 holiday shopping season will bring good cheer. Millions of Americans have already turned their attention to the holidays, according to the Holiday Consumer Pulse Poll from Rubicon Project Inc., a provider of technology to automate the buying and

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Wal­mart has finalized its $3.3 billion acquisition of e-tailer Jet.com, a deal that president and chief executive officer Doug McMillon said “will build on our e-commerce foundation and accelerate growth.” With the closing of the deal, which was announced in early August, Jet.com founder and chief executive officer Marc Lore becomes executive

Walmart’s decision to acquire Jet.com speaks volumes about how the leadership team at the world’s largest retailer sees the impact of e-commerce on the consumer goods market, the company’s future role within the sector, and the transformation of the corporate culture created by Sam Walton more than half a century ago to ensure that Walmart

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart intends to sell its Yihaodian e-commerce business in China to JD.com Inc., that country’s largest e-commerce retailer by revenue. The deal is part of a strategic partnership between the two companies that meant to boost Walmart’s online sales and in-store traffic in China, while expanding JD.com’s e-commerce business. As part of

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is taking aggressive action on a number of fronts. Earlier this month the giant retailer tweaked its free delivery test program to more directly challenge Amazon.com Inc., filed suit against Visa Inc. over the card issuer’s policies regarding debit card transactions, and announced that it is bringing back greeters to all